Веснянки

           “Can’tyouseethatifyouwerewillingandyourfatherwouldcomeandofferyoutome,Icouldn’tbetouchingthesolesofyourfeet,inlove—me,whosepeoplebrawledoverme,cutoffmehand,andthrowedmeawaytofreezeandtodie!Me,whohasnonamejustasmuchbecauseI’venoRIGHTtoany,asbecauseIdon’tknowit.WhenIwaslittle,IplannedtofindmefatherandmotherwhenIgrewup.NowIknowmemotherdesertedme,andmefatherwasmaybeathiefandsurelyaliar.Thepityformesufferingandthewatchingovermehavegonetoyourhead,dearAngel,andit’smemustbethinkingforyou.Ifyoucouldbeforgettingmelosthand,whereIwasraised,andthatIhadnonametogiveyou,andifyouwouldbetakingmeasIam,somedaypeoplesuchasminemustbe,mightcomeuponyou.Iusedtoprayiverynightandmorningandmanytimesthedaytoseememother.NowIonlypraytodiequicklyandneverriskthesightofher.’Tain’tnowayspossible,Angel!It’sawildnessofyourdearhead.Oh,doformercysake,kissmeoncemoreandbelettingmego!”

           “Notforaminute!”criedtheAngel.“Notforaminute,ifthoseareallthereasonsyouhave.It’syouwhoarewildinyourhead,butIcanunderstandjusthowithappened.BeingshutinthatHomemostofyourlife,andseeingchildreneverydaywhoseparentsdidneglectanddesertthem,makesyousureyoursdidthesame;andyettherearesomanyotherthingsthatcouldhavehappenedsomuchmoreeasilythanthat.Therearethousandsofyoungcoupleswhocometothiscountryandstartafamilywithnoneoftheirrelativeshere.